Our Baltic Road trip included a 24 hour trip to the island of Saaremaa and its diminutive neighbour, Muhu. I love islands. There’s something exotic and romantic about them. Saaremaa and Muhu are the most accessible of a group of islands off the west coast of Estonia. These islands, nestled in the Baltic Sea, are renowned for their natural beauty and cultural heritage.
How to get to Saaremaa
There is a ferry crossing between Virtsu on the mainland and Kuivastu on Muhu island. Crossings are frequent (roughly every 35 minutes) between around 5 am and almost midnight. The crossing takes approximately 27 minutes and costs €4.30 for passengers and €12 for cars. Details are approximate because the timetable is seasonal. Up-to-date information can be found on the TS Laevad OÜ website. To reach Saaremaa, you must then drive across Muhu and take the Väinatamm causeway.
If you are not driving, several bus companies offer services to Saaremaa from Tallinn and other major cities. Alternatively, you can fly to Kuressaare, the island’s main settlement, from Tallinn.
Getting Around Saaremaa
Ideally, you need a car to get around Saaremaa. Buses are infrequent and don’t travel directly between attractions. My guide book recommended cycling, but a route taking in the attractions we visited would cover 70 miles, so you’d have to be an extremely competent cyclist.
Where to Stay on Saaremaa
We stayed at the Georg Ots Spa Hotel, which is conveniently located on the outskirts of Kuressaare, close to the seafront. The hotel offers a spa, indoor and outdoor pools plus spectacular views across the harbour.
Saaremaa in 1 Day Itinerary
| Day 1 | Drive/Ferry to Saaremaa Muhu Eemu Windmill Väinatamm Kali Meteor Crater Angla Windmill Park Panga Park Kuressaare Suur Toll and Piret Kuressaare Castle Accommodation – Georg Ots Spa Hotel |
Saaremaa Day 1
Drive/Ferry to Saaremaa
Today, we’re sailing to the island of Saaremaa via Muhu. The departure point is the ferry terminal at Virtsu Port. We follow Google Maps to reach the port. This brings us to a building on an industrial estate. We have to stop and ask a security guard for directions. This is obviously a regular occurrence as he has the route from his office to the port open on his computer. Second time lucky, we locate the ferry terminal and board our boat for the 3 mile crossing to Muhu. The ferry ride offers stunning views of the Baltic Sea and thousands upon thousands of wind turbines.
Muhu
We drive across the tiny island of Muhu, famed for its windmills, which can be spotted the road. I shout ‘stop‘ at regular intervals for photo stops.
Eemu Windmill
The most iconic of Muhu’s windmills is Eemu Windmill. The ancient windmill now forms part of Muhu Museum and is open to visitors.
Entry just to the windmill costs €1. If you wish to visit the museum as well, which consists of an old farm, school and textile house, as well as an art gallery, an adult ticket is €7.
Väinatamm
From Muhu, we continue to Saaremaa across the Väinatamm; a 4 km long causeway spanning the Suur Strait. There are lay-bys along the road, so you can pull over to admire the view. My favourite sight is an art installation in the sea consisting of upside-down figures reflected in the water.
Kaali Meteor Crater
Once on Saaremaa, our first stop is Kaali Meteor Crater. Here, you can walk along a path round the top of a huge crater (22 metres deep and 110 metres wide, to be precise) created when a meteor hit the spot long ago. Experts estimate that the meteor struck in around 1500 BC, making it one of world’s youngest known giant meteor sites. The meteor actually broke up prior to impact and created nine craters in total, but Kaali is the largest and therefore the most interesting.
Angla Windmill Park
From Kaali, we continue driving north to reach Angla Windmill Park. Here, perched on a hill, are a group of 5 beautifully preserved windmills, mostly dating from the 19th Century. You can pay to visit the park to see the windmills close-up and gain an insight into the island’s agricultural history. But to be honest, there’s a great view of the windmills from the road.
The park is open daily from 9 am until 8 pm ( 10 am until 5 pm in winter). Adult entry costs €8.
Panga Park
We continue our drive north until we reach the coast, then head west. Running along the north of the island for 4 kilometres is Panga Cliff, Saaremaa’s highest clifftop. We stop to stretch our legs at Panga Park. Here, you can walk along the cliff top to admire the cliffs themselves as well as the spectacular views.
Kuressaare
From Panga, we head south until we reach the coast once more and our overnight destination; the picturesque resort town of Kuressaare. We take a wander, admiring the quaint architecture and cobbled streets lined with restaurants and bars.
Suur Toll and Piret
I particularly like the statue of Suur Toll and Piret. The sculpture depicts a naked Suur Toll (a mythical hero of the island of Saaremaa) and his wife Piret, who are carrying a boat full of fish out of the water.
Kuressaare Castle
On the edge of the town, sitting on a moat overlooking the sea, is the medieval Kuresaare Castle. Surrounding the castle is a pretty park. It is possible to go inside to discover the castle’s rich history, explore its towers and courtyards, and learn about the lives of the people who once inhabited this impressive stronghold. We left it too late, so make do with a wander round the outside before finding a supermarket to stock up for a picnic tea.
To visit the castle, you must purchase a ticket for Kuressaare Museum. Opening times are seasonal; in summer it is open daily from 10 am until 6 pm. (In winter, hours are 11 am until 6 pm Wednesday to Sunday). Adult entry costs €12.
Accommodation – Georg Ots Spa Hotel
We are staying at the Georg Ots Spa Hotel. We have a room with a balcony overlooking the bay. The hotel has a lovely outdoor pool area where you can lounge overlooking the Baltic Sea. In addition, there is an indoor pool. If it gets too hot/cold, you can swim between the two pools via a curtained hole in the wall.
Theoretically, we could go out and explored Kuressaare further. In reality, I spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the hotel pool. Then we have dinner and drinks on our balcony whilst watching a rather spectacular sunset.
- Trip taken: September 2016
- Updated: April 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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